A Look Back at Kate Middleton's Maternity Style

Kate Middleton has been a fashion icon for years, so it was no surprise that she was able to translate her chic, elegant style to maternity wear as well. Rosie Pope, founder of Rosie Pope Maternity and star of the Bravo reality series, "Pregnant in Heels," weighed in on how well Kate dressed her bump (hint: very!) and how her choices have influenced women around the world. "She stayed true to herself, and I think that's why she's been so successful," Pope said of Kate (here, on June 15, in Alexander McQueen). "It's totally her: classic, demure and elegant."

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She Mixed It Up...

On June 13, Kate wore a dalmation print coat by Hobbs and a fascinator by Sylvia Fletcher at Lock & Co. to christen the Royal Princess cruise ship in Southampton. "It was kind of saucy!" Pope said of this look. "It was the most daring thing she wore. I could even see Kim Kardashian in it."

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... But Always Remained Pretty and Conservative

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's coronation on June 4, Kate appeared at Westminster Abbey in a peach empire-style Jenny Packham dress, Jane Taylor fascinator, and nude L.K. Bennett heels."It's classic, it's demure and elegant but has a young twist to it," said Pope. "She often wears either bracelet length or three-quarter length sleeve jackets to show skin, but not too much. Enough that she doesn't look like the queen!"

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She Could Pull Off Bright Colors

"It's a misnomer when you're pregnant that you have to wear black!" said Pope, who chose this yellow silk Emilia Wickstead coat as her favorite piece of Kate's maternity wear. (She wore it to a garden party on May 22.) "I like the pastels but they're very safe. This was a nice statement piece."

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She Never Abandoned Her Heels

For her two-year wedding anniversary on April 29, Kate Middleton visited Naomi House Children's Hospice in Tara Jarmon coat over peach dress and her favorite L.K. Bennett nude pumps. "It's the only thing she received criticism for," said Pope, who called the negative feedback "unnecessary." "If you're used to wearing heels, there's no problem wearing them when you're pregnant. The chances of her wearing them around the house are exactly zero and I think it's great that she's perpetuating the fact that you can still do stuff [you're used to doing] when you're pregnant."

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She Wore Clothing Made For Everyone (Sometimes)

During a tour of the Harry Potter film set on April 26, Kate wore a white and black polka dot dress from Topshop and a black blazer. Still, saidPope, "She has a lot of her clothes tailored, so it's not fair to say she swiped them off the rack. In some cases that happened, but not as much."

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She Mostly Favored Pastels...

The Emilia Wickstead dress that Kate wore on April 24 was in keeping with her love of pastels. "They're super pretty," said Pope, who notes that the color choice extended into evening wear choices as well. "With a richer fabric, it still looks very regal." Plus, the demure collar made it easier for her to avoid embarrassing photos when she bent over to greet people. "She does this thing with a high boat neck and the back drops down above the bra," noted Pope. "It's a way to be elegant but still show a little skin."

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... But She Also Had Fun with Patterns

Pope notes that the Erdem dress Kate wore on April 23 had an African feel to it, but was "the same cut as all of her dresses, just above the knee, and the colors are pretty muted."

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She Favored Colorful Coats

Kate wore a number of colorful coats during her pregnancy, and this mint Mulberry number from April 21 was especially notable, as it was one of the first time the Duchess's bump was noticeable. "It's a very tailored, very sort of late 60s look and I like it," said Pope. "People make the mistake in maternity that they wear bigger sizes and they don't need to. You can still wear your tailored coats and wear maternity dresses underneath. Your bone structure doesn't change!"

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Peter Pan Collars? Yes Please!

"I loved the classic, demure stuff, so [my favorite moments] were any time she wore a Peter Pan collar," said Pope. The Goat coat from March 19 certainly qualifies. Plus, for awhile, "She didn't want to show her body," said Pope. "I think she'd done everything not to draw attention to the fact that she's pregnant and there's nothing like a coat to do that!"

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And In the Beginning, Wrap Dresses Were a Girl's Best Friend!

Before her baby bump was visible (as was the case on Feb. 19), Kate wasn't afraid to step out in wrap dresses. "They're very comfortable and allow you to grow," explained Pope. "Your bump can really grow out. But [later in pregnancy], they're a bit more revealing as your breasts get bigger."